Middle East & Africa

The U.N. ambassador-nominee might face questions about Trump’s threats to U.S. allies, relations with Russia on the Security Council, and more.

Transfers of territory are central to the country’s efforts at racial reconciliation.

Foreign trips are a key part of mayoral life in a global age.

The new government in Beirut is the country’s best chance for reform in years—but support from Washington and Riyadh will be crucial.

He has pledged to take immediate action on issues from border security to trade.

Lessons from the past about Trump as commander in chief.

The new government in Damascus could follow in Iran’s fundamentalist footsteps, but it’s not a foregone conclusion.

The ousted Syrian regime financed its war machine by producing and trafficking Captagon.

The Israeli leader has yet to comment on the deal, which would free 33 hostages and surge aid into Gaza.

Biden has been pushing for an agreement for more than a year.

Premature returns come with profound risks for refugees and are counterproductive to Syria’s long-term stability.

After successfully brokering a deal between Ethiopia and Somalia, Ankara is trying to end Sudan’s civil war.

Syrians embrace a fresh start, but uncertainty around the future—and the past—lingers.

Biden’s pro-Kurdish track record in the Senate and vice presidency didn’t extend to his time in the White House.

It’s too early to celebrate Assad’s departure as Erdogan’s victory.

Despite its inclusive rhetoric, the new Islamist government is already setting parameters for how the country will be governed.

A rogue America is among the biggest threats of 2025.

The new administration faces a changed regional environment, which could make dealmaking more appealing than a renewed sanctions campaign.

The president-elect has threatened to unleash “hell” on the militant group if it doesn’t meet his deadline. What might he actually do?

A conversation with the International Crisis Group’s Comfort Ero.

Israelis want the fighting to end but their leaders don’t.

With leaked interrogation footage, “The Bibi Files” portrays a corrupt Israeli leader.

For a leader with fewer conservative bona fides, such a bold diplomatic initiative would be politically untenable.

Europe seems determined to deport citizens of Syria’s new regime.

Will Trump inflame conflict over disputed territories?

Decades of hypocritical climate policies have failed the global south.

Military escalation will not end the group’s terror campaign.

Major international organizations condemn Israel’s conduct in Gaza—and they’re not getting enough attention.

The incoming U.S. administration could strike a deal on Ukraine—and possibly start talks with Iran and North Korea—but bickering could derail diplomatic efforts.

The U.S. president-elect’s second term will begin in a vastly different global landscape than his first.

Trump’s victory in the United States has raised the stakes for key global races, from Canada to Cameroon.

From Moldova to Mexico, these conflicts are currently flying under the radar but could emerge as major flash points.

Foreign Policy’s columnists share what’s on their radar this year.

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib has emerged as a voice of unique clarity in the zero-sum debate over Israel-Palestine.

The country’s inaction in Syria has dealt a blow to confidence in its regional power.

The biggest releases in foreign affairs, history, and economics.

The Trump administration will find it hard to disengage from a region still being reshaped by the effects of Oct. 7.

Across the continent, existing conflicts are intensifying and dormant rivalries reemerging.

FP Live’s annual tradition of recounting the biggest highlights and trends of the year.

A diverse array of countries held national votes this year—but a single storyline stood out.

Disorder and instability reign from Gaza to Syria and the Red Sea.

Tracking the region’s biggest surprises in 2024.

Foreign Policy’s best deep dives of the year.

The country stood still for its first count in more than 25 years. Now, it must take action to capitalize on the findings.

The former Syrian dictator warned the world about ever trying to partner with his successors.

FP’s five best podcast episodes of 2024.

Matt and Emma take a look back at a turbulent year in global politics.

The USAID chief on Gaza and why she feels she can make more of a difference in government than outside it.

The sudden collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has created concerns about the country’s dangerous arsenal.

Moscow’s mercenaries are overstretched, and the loss of Syria could undermine them further.

Misogyny is not a cultural issue—it is a driver of extremism.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s aesthetic vision alone will not create jobs.

The differences between them are huge—and the United States can affect Tehran’s calculations.

The fate of Iran’s reformist government could turn on a controversial new hijab law.

Middle powers rise, some democracies prevail, and great powers spur a scramble for infrastructure.

Amid the chaos of Assad’s fall, vital documents may be lost.

After the collapse of their client states, both patrons left behind a trove of military equipment.

The International Development Finance Corporation has put the United States more on the map, but China remains king of global infrastructure.

Turkey can calm Arab nations fearful of an Islamist takeover by inviting Syria’s neighbors and the Gulf states to play a central role in the political transition.

A Ukrainian Nobel Peace Prize winner weighs in on his prospects.

Leaders who fail to protect their citizens while allowing ethnic hatred to spread are fueling extremism.

What Bashar al-Assad’s fall means for Syria, the Middle East, and beyond.

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani has worked for years to rebrand himself, but has he truly broken from his al Qaeda past?

Nigeria’s president is desperate for foreign investment—and after being ousted from Sahel countries, France is seeking new friends on the continent.

He’s targeting news outlets even as he testifies in his own corruption trial.

Beijing reflects on its losing bet on the Assad regime.

Her political journey from progressive darling to MAGA champion.

Ankara will seek to fill the regional power vacuum left by the fall of Tehran’s most valuable client.

How to read the tea leaves on Syria’s new leaders.

Syria’s change of leadership has given Turkey’s president the regional influence he has always wanted.

Syria’s ruling family had shaped its security agencies to fend off coups, not uprisings.

One of many consequences is the demise of Iran’s self-styled Axis of Resistance.

Assad’s fall offers a chance to reverse years of indecision.

Assad’s fall and Israel’s offensive give Lebanese a chance to reclaim their country.

The country’s civil war is over—but there’s no stability to restore.

The international community misjudged the strength of the Assad regime—and its fixation on an external political process is being overtaken by internal events.

With the Syrian leader now on the run, the prospect of bringing him to justice for his crimes is no longer theoretical.

The Syrian president has fled, leaving behind immense uncertainty about the country’s future.

Biden’s recent trip to Angola highlighted long-standing issues in Washington’s approach to the continent.

Trump’s team has ideas, but so do Ukraine and Russia.

Lebanese American academic Fawaz Gerges on Netanyahu’s long-term strategy and Washington’s role.

While nobody was looking, the Syrian regime was increasingly hollowing out.

The lame-duck U.S. president touts a critical minerals infrastructure project in Angola.

After years of relative quiet, renewed fighting in Syria could be the new U.S. administration’s first major foreign-policy challenge.

Allies Iran and Russia are busy with their own wars, leaving Assad vulnerable.

A lightning advance by rebels will force Moscow to recalibrate its Syria strategy.

COP29’s new goal poses a challenge to wealthy countries and international financial institutions.

There are a few things in the world to be grateful for this year, despite everything.

Washington helped bolster Ruto’s reputation, but scandals have cratered his popularity at home.

U.S.-led diplomatic talks were essentially a performance, doomed from the outset.

Limited strikes could continue even after the truce.

Ankara’s ultranationalist kingmaker has made surprising overtures to PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan—but without U.S. pressure, the imprisoned militant might not become a Kurdish Mandela.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor the new U.S. president wants a broader regional conflict.

The so-called “crime-terror nexus” is alive and well, and only multilateral cooperation can break it.

One likely goal: expanding the Abraham Accords.

Seasonal rains and flooding portend further humanitarian catastrophe.

Israel’s motivations may extend far beyond the current war in Gaza.

Sexual misconduct allegations threaten to undermine the court’s important work. An independent investigation is needed to uphold its moral authority.

A new axis of autocrats has European diplomats worried.

Countering the spillover of Islamist militants from the Sahel will be a major challenge for the country’s next leader.